oliver Daily news

Archives for September 24, 2019

The BC Liberals argue the Rural Dividend Fund** was created so smaller communities can build capacity and promote economic diversification.

Liberals say the government should not be punishing rural B.C. by taking away important funding that helps create jobs and contributes to the overall wellness and sustainability of smaller communities.

“It is simply unbelievable that during a time of crisis for forestry-dependent communities, the NDP would pile on with the suspension of the Rural Dividend Fund,” says Rural Development critic and Liberal MLA Donna Barnett.

“Only the NDP would think alienating small communities, driving away economic growth and putting even more jobs at risk is a good idea.”

Minister of Forests Doug Donaldson says he wants the communities to know that applications that have made will be kept for future funding cycles. He went on to say the government made the decision to ensure workers in rural communities are supported.

“That is what communities told us was needed the most for their economic stability and the economic future. That is why we temporarily re-purposed funding in the rural development program,” Donaldson said.

**A number of projects in Oliver and Osoyoos are funded/were to be funded by the Dividend Fund.

Apparently those municipalities with grant applications in hand have been informed that funding is not cut off but delayed for at least a year – with the budgeted $25 million going to areas in the province hit hardest by forestry shut downs.

I have always believed when it is required we have the option to change or change will be made for us. We are on the cusp of change like it or not. We can make it as smooth as possible or suffer the consequences. I am speaking to the issue of the environment. No not the climate change itself but the movement that is turning into a ground swell.

There has been talk since the seventies about cleaning up our practices. The world of government and business have played the duck and divert game. The money spent on advertising to ensure us all things are in good hands has proven to have fallen short of expectations. What painted this picture? One word today from a young woman who addressed the world.

GRETA, she no longer needs a last name. Last week she was the driving spirit that saw more than four million people take to the street to demand action. Yesterday she went to the podium leaned into the microphone and said “How Dare You”

She spoke of the leaders spinning hollow promises and neglecting their responsibility to the citizens of the world. She spoke truth to power. Greta also gave us the glimpse into the future. The new generation is about clean energy, it means change faster than we might ready for. Instead of the idea of fossil fuels for fifty years how about twenty? Oil will be the new coal a spent force.

Greta scolded the leaders saying they wanted to protect their money and the present economy. The new generation doesn’t care about our economy they are going to forge their own.

This revolution will be a bigger upheaval and be more profound than the industrial revolution. It will feature new technology and science based advances. Innovation will center on the planet in two major ways. First the environment will be at the forefront followed by a social safety net beyond anything we have seen.

I believe the political structures themselves will change to a form of proportional representation. The new generation has no faith nor loyalty to our party system that is becoming clear.

Greta touched off a spark that will see more and more converts to the cause.

If you don’t think it’s possible look at what happened in eastern Europe. Look what happened in Chile and even China. I know we hear it all the time China is a Communist Regime. The regime wants to cling to power, it is communist in name only it is authoritarian true. China is embracing environmental change to position itself as the tech leader.

There has been attempts before, with dire warnings, with science and education programs so what’s different? Greta stood in front of the powers of the world and said shame on you. For those leaders it was like getting a root canal without freezing. The emotional chord was struck at the same time as the reason chord. The up coming generation is saying enough is enough.

On Friday, August 30th, 2019, Garry Bott passed away peacefully in Oliver at the age of 78.He was predeceased by his parents, Ed and Kay Bott, and his brother, Grant Bott.

Garry will be remembered by his wife of 58 years, Joyce Bott; daughter Sheryl (Rob); son Gordon (Cathy); daughter Tracey; grandchildren Melissa (Paul), Christi, Alex, Lindsey, Jaren, and Megan; and great grandson Ryan.

Garry was born in Flin Flon, Manitoba and his parents moved to Vancouver when he was an infant. He grew up and went to school in Vancouver. Thereafter, the family moved to Coquitlam and that is where he met Joyce. Garry continued his education at Vancouver Tech and worked part-time with IMI and later started full-time for them which had him move his family to Boston Bar. They then transferred to Prince George but chilly Prince George weather and the more favourable weather of the South Okanagan Valley drew him to Oliver, where he settled down to raise his three children with his wife, Joyce. He was hired on as foreman at the newly opened General Coach, and worked his way up to superintendent, a position he held until his retirement. He also joined and became a Life Member of the Oliver Volunteer Fire Department. Never one to keep idle, Garry worked as a Scout Leader, was involved with the Oliver Museum and Archives, and was an avid home winemaker.

He loved cruising and travelling, especially to Mexico where Garry and Joyce found a resort in Cabo San Lucas where they could escape for the winter.

Everyone who knew Garry knew he was a man with a big heart, one who’s strong, caring, dedicated and kind, and who worked hard for his family and his community. He will be greatly missed.

The Celebration of Life will be held at the Oliver Firehall at 2pm on Saturday October 5, 2019.

Condolences and tributes may be directed to the family by visiting www.nunes-pottinger.com

Post script – **Ernie and Kay retired to Vaseux Lake – the building re finished into a paint store with flooring for sale.

On the back of this card photo these words: “1952, Oliver – Ted Trump on first Giraffe ladder is 14 ft. size. Some testing was done in Nov. 1951”

2nd Photo is a scan of all the models of Trump before it closed

Below Ernie Rotheisler speaking to the Oliver-Osoyoos Historical Society’s AGM at the United Church. The basement had a good turn out for Ernie’s outline of the history of Trump Giraffes and Rotheisler Kangaroos.

“My wife told me, without my overalls, and a tooth pick in my mouth – no one would recognize me.”

Ernie spoke at length about the history of the Rotheislers coming to Oliver in 1947, buying orchard land and the inventive nature of his father John who liked to make orchard work less onerous. He went over a lot of time periods calling Ted Trump a great salesman with the drive to bring industry to the Village of Oliver with over a hundred men working in the plant at one time. The Trump’s Oliver operations lasted about twenty years before moving to Ontario to be closer to eastern markets.
Rotheisler Equipment is still in operation today ….almost 60 years later.**

Below from a sales brochure – Rotheisler Equipment Ltd. – The Kangaroo – first produced in 1955 as a self propelled piece of farm equipment. The Trump Giraffe needed to be towed by a tractor in the orchard.

The Southern Interior Land Trust (SILT) has, for over 30 years, worked in the southern interior of British Columbia to protect and preserve habitat for all living things. Natural lake shorelines, with their ribbon of native plants benefit wildlife and animal movement; protect properties from flood and erosion; and support ecological processes essential to clean, drinkable, swimmable, fishable water. Purchasing lakeshore for conservation is prohibitively expensive, so SILT is exploring other ways to spark widespread voluntary care of lakeshores to benefit all living things, including people.

SILT has partnered with Watersheds Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Federation to pilot the highly successful Love Your Lake (LYL) program for the first time in British Columbia, at Vaseux Lake and along the shore of Okanagan Lake in the District of Summerland. The LYL project will provide lakeshore landowners with a free, personalized and private evaluation of their shoreline, with specific actions for how to voluntarily protect and re-vitalize the shoreline to improve lake health while still maintaining their waterfront view.

Shoreline property owners will receive information about the program including an introductory letter and a values survey. Shorelines will be assessed by boat on a property-by-property basis by trained people using a standardized protocol and datasheet. Following the assessments, each shoreline property owner will receive another letter, typically in the spring, with a personal online access code needed to download their free report. The report will contain information about the state of their unique shoreline and suggestions of voluntary actions they can take, specifically tailored to their shoreline, to improve the health of their shoreline. Lake organizations and project partners will receive a lake summary report which generalizes the data over the entire assessed area and identifies community stewardship opportunities applicable to the entire lake shoreline.

All information contained in the individual shoreline property reports and lake summary reports is non-regulatory. All organizations involved in the LYL program take privacy issues very seriously.

This year, SILT will also be supporting the creation of up to three public shoreline restoration demonstration sites in various areas where landowners and others can see how lakeshore restoration works. SILT and the LYL program hope that both aspects of the project will continue in future years on other lakes. Funding and in-kind support for the LYL project has been provided by the South Okanagan Conservation Fund, the LYL Program, SILT, local government and other contributors.

On lookers welcome ! This is a very new sport growing fast and we are excited to be hosting an intro clinic to Cowboy Mounted Shooting! If you have not had the opportunity to see this event live in person … now is your chance, everyone is invited to spectate and learn about this fun/challenging equine sport!

Introduction clinic for anyone interested in learning about the exciting sport of shooting from horseback. A great learning environment with knowledgeable clinicians from the Cowboy Mounted Shooting of BC Association Fee includes two days of instruction. No firearms licenses required to participate. All participants will receive information regarding all licenses required for mounted shooting, rules and regulations for mounted shooting in Canada. Horses and riders will be exposed to gunfire over the course of two days. Participants should be able to walk, jog, trot, and lope with a stable body position.